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  • Vibration & The 3-Axis Of Acceleration

    Vibration & The 3-Axis Of Acceleration

    Recently, we’ve been measuring vibration in wheels and building on the complexity of the measurements we are gathering to further our understanding of the role that vibration plays in determining impedance break point. Our original work used a uni-directional accelerometer, which measures accelerations in one plane and simplifies the output. This uni-directional sensor was mounted…

  • Measuring Vibration In Different Locations

    Measuring Vibration In Different Locations

    Last week we observed the natural frequency of different tires, wheels, weights, and wheel location. For those tests, we used an Emerson data acquisition system that produced highly accurate results. However, riding with a computer and cables strapped to the bike is not ideal for more intense testing. This week, we explore another sensor option,…

  • Natural Frequency: Different Tires, Wheels, and Rider Weight

    Natural Frequency: Different Tires, Wheels, and Rider Weight

    Recently, we discussed how you can measure the natural frequency of a wheel and tire combination, and how we proved that our theory that you could measure an impedance break point by measuring vibration was correct. This week we’ll focus on testing the natural frequency of a wheel/tire combination when you change the type of…

  • Natural Frequency: Does It Matter In Cycling?

    Natural Frequency: Does It Matter In Cycling?

    In last week’s article, we discussed measuring impedance break points by looking at vibration, and revealed that we were able to measure a change in vibration acceleration at the impedance break point. As a recap, below is a FFT plot of vibration at 60 psi and 120 psi. In the 60 psi plot you see…

  • Using Vibration To Measure Impedance

    Using Vibration To Measure Impedance

    Vibration has been on my mind. When designing the All Sport and Gravel wheel lines, we aimed to prove that a wider internal rim width lowered your rolling resistance. During that process, we ran hundreds of tests at different tire pressures, tire sizes, and internal rim widths. After these tests proved our theory correct, our…

  • Understanding Which Freehub You Need, What They Are Used For

    Understanding Which Freehub You Need, What They Are Used For

    When FLO began in 2011, your choices of freehub were pretty simple: Shimano/SRAM or Campagnolo. Today, more freehub options mean more questions. This article answers some of them: What is a freehub? What is its purpose? What kind of freehub do I have? It will also help you determine which option is best for you.…

  • Where Did The Clydesdales Go?

    Where Did The Clydesdales Go?

    When FLO started shipping wheels in 2012, we offered two wheel builds: standard and Clydesdale. The standard build featured the following spoke lacing patterns: – Front Wheel: 20 spokes laced radially – Rear Wheel: 24 spokes lace with a 2-cross build on both drive and non-drive side The Clydesdale build featured a different spoke lacing…

  • Why Higher Tire Pressure Feels Faster But Makes You Slower

    Why Higher Tire Pressure Feels Faster But Makes You Slower

    Feeling Fast. Back in my university days, I owned a 2001 Kia Sephia that had less-than-showroom suspension. While on a road trip to Death Valley, I wondered what going 100mph felt like, and accelerated to 105mph. It felt like we were flying, but the vibration was unnerving, and I feared my life! Shortly after this…

  • How Velocity Affects Impedance

    How Velocity Affects Impedance

    We knew when we started developing our FLO All Sport and Gravel wheels that rolling resistance would be a large focus of the process. We believed that a wider rim would lower rolling resistance. To test this hypothesis, we spent close to two years developing an on-road testing protocol to measure rolling resistance which included…

  • Hooked vs. Hookless Rims

    Hooked vs. Hookless Rims

    What is the difference and what is all the fuss about? This article will walk you through what hooked and hookless rims are, why there are two options, the pros and cons of each, and what we are doing at FLO. Let’s get started. The Difference Between Hooked & Hookless Rims The definitions and descriptions…

  • Carbon Clinchers vs. Aluminum + Carbon Rims

    Carbon Clinchers vs. Aluminum + Carbon Rims

    At FLO we have two construction methods for our carbon wheel rims. The first is a Carbon Clincher rim, and the second is an Aluminum + Carbon rim. You may wonder what the differences between the two rims are and why you would want one vs. the other. This article will answer those questions by…

  • Wheel Fit Guide For FLO All Sport Series

    Wheel Fit Guide For FLO All Sport Series

    Will wider carbon wheels fit my bike? The All Sport series has a wide brake track width of 28mm and a wide internal rim width of 21mm. This article will help you determine if the new FLO All Sport wheels will fit your bike, plus tire size recommendations for the best fit. We’ve also included…

  • Total Power – Measuring Cycling Wheel Performance

    Total Power – Measuring Cycling Wheel Performance

    In cycling, the power you put into the pedals is measured in watts.  Ideally, each watt is used to move you forward, but in reality, only a portion of those watts are used for that purpose and there are losses along the way. As a cyclist, every watt you haven’t lost counts towards how fast…